December 18, 1997
     
     
     INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM:  R&D-97-093
     
     TO:      All Reinsured Companies
              All Risk Management Agency Field Offices
     
     FROM:    Tim B. Witt    /s/   Tim B. Witt
              Deputy Administrator
     
     SUBJECT: 1998 Income Protection Pilot Program Crop Provisions
     
     BACKGROUND:
     
     The 1998 Income Protection (IP) Pilot Program Crop Provisions have been
     modified to be consistent with the new 1998 Common Crop Insurance Policy
     Basic Provisions.  For the 1998 crop year, changes have been made to the
     Common Crop Insurance Policy Basic Provisions to incorporate revised
     late and prevented planting provisions and to add definitions and
     provisions that are common to most crops.  These revisions required
     modifications to the Crop Provisions that use the 1998 Common Crop
     Insurance Policy Basic Provisions.  The intended effect of this action
     is to provide policy changes that meet the needs of the insured, are
     easier to administer, and to delete repetitive provisions contained in
     various Crop Provisions.
     
     ACTION:       
     
     This release includes the Crop Provisions and a Summary of Changes for
     IP corn, cotton, grain sorghum, soybeans, and wheat.  These materials
     are available electronically via the Reporting Organization server.
     
     If you have any questions about this pilot program, please contact
     Vondie O'Conner at (816) 926-6343 or by fax at (816) 926-7343.
     
     Attachments - will follow in the mail